“Bems, skewers, lots of Donovanian creatures use camouflage, then grab or spear their prey before engulfing it.” To Shin she said, “Do you have any way of defending your drone?”

“I can run an electrical discharge through the hull. It’s meant to discourage barnacles and such from attachment.”

“You might want to try it. Otherwise, unless the jellyfish get bored, they may never turn loose of your drone.”

“Got it.” Shin tapped the screen, displayed a menu, and touched an icon. Red letters read “DISCHARGE” and on-screen, the drone’s camera cleared. The jellyfish were backing away, what had been a deep crimson color shifting to yellow. Here and there, dots of black, indigo, and laser-green flashed, only to be repeated by the closest jellyfish and passed along. As quickly the orange-red color began to appear again, spreading through the cluster.

“Get it back now,” Yoshimura said. “Before they can grab it again.”

And, sure enough, the jellyfish had retreated out to reform the tunnel around the UUV.

“Full reverse,” Shin muttered. And the drone went flying backwards as the jellyfish turned crimson and began undulating to close the trap.

“I’ll be damned,” Yoshimura whispered. “Did you see how well organized they were? I can’t wait to watch the replay. Study it in detail. That’s organized behavior, and the colors, that looks like they were communicating, orchestrating the hunt.”

“Got grapples on the UUV,” Shin cried triumphantly. “It’s back in its bay.”

“How we going to get that one back?” Yoshimura indicated the deep drone. Awaiting commands, it hovered at its same location. Below, the bottom was carpeted by what Kalico took to be greenish-blue plants. Though some defied description, being composites of tentacles, branches, bladders, and stems, others hearkened to analogs from land. Like the one that looked like a bright-green lollipop stand.

“Steer clear of that one.” Kalico pointed. “If it’s in any way related to the giant trees that live out by Tyson Station, it’s a predator. And, given that the plants move, and if the jellyfish are any guide, if any of them grab hold of the UUV, it’s not going to let go.”

“Good point.” Yoshimura used a control to swivel the camera upwards. “Looks like the jellyfish are all staying a couple of meters up.”

“Maybe they’re restricted to just below the surface?” Shinwua wondered.

“See these really tall plants?” Kalico pointed to where long turquoise strands rose to a couple of meters below the surface. “The jellyfish seem to stay above their reach.”

Meanwhile, the colorful tubes were darting this way and that among the plants. One appeared within a few centimeters of the camera, and Yoshimura refocused to get a better look.

“Definitely trilateral symmetry,” Yoshimura said reverently. “Each of the three sides is exactly the same. One eye on each. What a perfect adaptation to an aquatic environment. Complete three-hundred-and-sixty-degree vision.”